Human rights defender Luis Uzcátegui has reported being beaten by four people, including two police officers, near his home in Coro city, Falcón State. He believes the attack to be in retaliation for his demands for justice following the killing of his brother by state police in 2001. The Venezuelan authorities must ensure his safety according to his wishes.

On the morning of 17 October Luis Uzcátegui was stopped by four people, including two police officers from the Falcón State police near his home. They severely beat him and threatened him. As a result of the attack, Luis Uzcátegui has reported the loss of a molar, as well as bruises and difficulties breathing and walking.

According to Luis Uzcátegui, he reported the attack at the local offices of the Scientific, Penal and Criminal Investigations Unit (Cuerpo de Investigaciones Científicas, Penales y Criminalísticas, CICPC) immediately after it occurred. While making his statement, he noticed the same state police officers that attacked him talking to members of the investigative police. Luis Uzcátegui was held in custody for nine hours in the offices of the CICPC. They did not tell him why he was detained and he was not permitted to see a lawyer or contact his family. Luis Uzcátegui described how during this time in detention, police officers tried to persuade him to withdraw his complaint in order to be released, and not to have a medical examination done.

Luis Uzcátegui believes this attack was due to his demands for justice following the killing of his brother, Néstor Uzcátegui, by members of the Falcon State police in 2001. Luis Uzcátegui is a founding member of the Committee for the Defence of Victims Families’ Human Rights Falcón State (Comité Pro Defensa de los Derechos Humanos Familiares Víctimas del Estado Falcón, COPRODEH) and a current member of the Committee for the Defence of Victims of Violations of Human Rights of the Public Citizen (Comité Pro Defensa de Víctimas de Violaciones de Derechos Humanos del Ciudadano Público, COPROVIDH).

Take action

Please write immediately in Spanish or your own language:

Urging the authorities to take effective action to protect Luis Uzcátegui’s safety in accordance with his wishes;

Calling on them to carry out a full and impartial investigation into the attack on 17 October and arbitrary detention reported by Luis Uzcátegui, to make the results public and bring those responsible to justice;

Reminding them to fulfil their obligation to protect human rights defenders, as set out in the 1998 UN